Inter Miami CF Foundation & UNICEF: New Alliance for Latin America & Caribbean Children’s Education

Inter Miami CF Foundation & UNICEF: New Alliance for Latin America & Caribbean Children’s Education

February 21, 2025 Catherine Williams - Chief Editor Business

Inter Miami CF Foundation and UNICEF Launch Three-Year Alliance to Expand Education Access in Latin America and the Caribbean

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Miami/New York, February 21, 2025 — The Inter Miami CF Foundation and UNICEF have announced a groundbreaking three-year alliance aimed at providing quality education programs to children in five Latin American countries and the Caribbean. This partnership will focus on Argentina, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, and Mexico, regions where educational access and quality are severely compromised by poverty, economic instability, and political conflicts.

The alliance will raise funds to support children at risk, including those without access to schools, by providing opportunities for learning and developing basic skills such as reading and writing. Additionally, the initiative aims to expand access to digital and online learning resources and offer teachers the necessary training and tools to enhance their teaching methods. This comprehensive approach is designed to ensure that children in these regions can acquire the skills needed to thrive in the modern world.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, more than 10 million children and young people are currently without schooling due to various socio-economic challenges. The completion rate of higher secondary education is below 70 percent in two-thirds of the countries in the region. Many children from the most vulnerable communities are at risk of not acquiring the necessary skills to reach their full potential due to a lack of trained teachers, inadequate educational materials, and poor infrastructure.

“When I was little, they taught me that education was the key to achieving my dreams,” said Jorge Mas, owner and administrator of Inter Miami. “Unfortunately, many boys and girls cannot access the education they need to get their dreams to come true. This alliance with UNICEF will allow the Inter Miami CF Foundation to expand its support for education programs. Together, we want to offer children around the world the freedom to dream.”

“In the world, millions of children are denied the right to quality education,” explained David Beckham, co-owner of Inter Miami and Ambassador of Goodwill of UNICEF. “The work that I have carried out with UNICEF in the last 20 years has allowed me to verify to what extent education can be decisive for children, their families and their communities. It is a pride that Inter Miami will support the essential mission of UNICEF to contribute to create a more fair world, where boys and girls can go to school, learn and fully develop their potential.”

The launch of the Alliance will take place on Saturday, February 22, during the first home game of the Miami season. Fans attending the match at Chase Stadium will have the opportunity to participate in a solidarity rounding at all points of sale. By rounding up their purchases to the next dollar, fans will make a beneficial donation to the Inter Miami CF Foundation. Throughout the three years of the alliance, additional fundraising activities will be organized to support the cause.

“If we want to address the learning crisis in Latin America and the Caribbean, it is essential to invest in quality education, basic learning and digital skills for children and young people. For UNICEF, it will be a real pleasure to collaborate with the Inter Miami CF Foundation and with its fans worldwide to expand access to education and offer better opportunities to childhood and youth.”

– Kitty Van der Heijden, Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF.

Without quality education, children face immense obstacles in securing jobs and building a better future. Throughout their lives, they are more likely to suffer from health problems and tend to participate less in decisions that affect them, which endangers their ability to build a better future for themselves and their societies. UNICEF works to offer the most vulnerable children in the world equitable access to education and quality learning opportunities.

Since its creation, one of the essential pillars of the Inter Miami CF Foundation has been to achieve positive changes by leveraging the power of football. This purpose will be felt globally through the union of the Inter Miami CF and UNICEF Foundation with all its fans to contribute to childhood the freedom to dream and the opportunity to prosper.

Fans around the world can support the work of the Inter Miami CF and UNICEF Foundation by making a donation here.

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Notes for Editors

On Saturday, February 22, Inter Miami will begin the 2025 season of the Major League Soccer (MLS) with a match against the New York City FC at Chase Stadium.

David Beckham has been a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF since 2005 and has traveled the world to learn about the work of UNICEF programs and give visibility to the needs of the most vulnerable children. In 2015, he created 7: David Beckham’s background for UNICEF, an exclusive alliance that aims to offer vulnerable and disadvantaged children the opportunity to develop their full potential. In January of this year, he received the Crystal Prize of the World Economic Forum, an award that recognizes his humanitarian work with UNICEF and his commitment to social change.

About UNICEF

UNICEF works in some of the most difficult places to reach the most disadvantaged children in the world. In 190 countries and territories, they work for each childhood, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

For more information about UNICEF and their work, visit www.unicef.org/lac.

Follow UNICEF on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

About the Inter Miami CF Foundation

The Inter Miami CF Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization focused on driving youth empowerment. The Foundation’s work centers on the education and empowerment of children and young adults in communities that lack appropriate services, ensuring that all children enjoy the freedom to dream.

Press Contacts

Claire McKeever
Unicef Ginebra
Email: cmckeever@unicef.org

Sendi Zea
Communication Specialist (Emergencies)
UNICEF Latin America and the Caribbean
Telephone: +507 6821 0843
Email: sczea@unicef.org

Additional Resources
Watch the video of the launch of the alliance between the Inter Miami CF Foundation and UNICEF in favor of the education of children.

Inter Miami CF Foundation and UNICEF Partnership: Expanding Education access

What is the Inter Miami CF foundations partnership with UNICEF about?

The Inter Miami CF Foundation and UNICEF have formed a groundbreaking three-year alliance to expand access to quality education for children in five Latin American countries—Argentina, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, and Mexico—and the Caribbean.This initiative aims to tackle the barriers of poverty, economic instability, and political conflict that limit educational access and quality in these regions.

Why is this partnership necessary?

Over 10 million children and young people in Latin America and the Caribbean lack schooling due to socio-economic challenges. Compounding this issue, the completion rate for higher secondary education is below 70% in two-thirds of the region’s countries. The partnership seeks to provide educational opportunities to these children, offering them the skills and tools necessary to thrive in the modern world.

What activities and initiatives does the partnership involve?

Fundraising and Community Engagement

  • Solidarity Rounding: During major Inter Miami CF events, such as matches, fans are encouraged to round up their purchases to support the foundation.
  • Additional fundraising: Over the next three years, various fundraising activities will be organized to sustain the partnership’s goals.

Education and Training

  • Access to Learning: initiatives will provide learning opportunities and basic skills education, such as reading and writing.
  • Digital and Online Resources: Expanding access to digital learning is a key focus, aiming to offer modern educational tools.
  • Teacher Training: Training programs for educators will be enhanced to improve teaching methodologies and effectiveness.

What are the expected long-term impacts of the partnership?

  • Enhanced Learning Opportunities: With increased access to education, children in these countries can better develop their full potential.
  • Equitable Access: Collaborations like this are expected to level the educational playing field, providing more equitable access to quality education.
  • Empowerment Through Education: Education serves as a essential stepping stone for personal and community development, fostering a cycle of positive change.

How can individuals support the Inter Miami CF and UNICEF partnership?

Interested parties can actively support the efforts by:

  • Donating: Contributions can be made online to provide further resources for the educational programs.
  • Participating in Events: Engage in community events and fundraising activities organized by Inter Miami CF and UNICEF.
  • Raising Awareness: Share information about the initiative through social media and other platforms to increase visibility.

Who are the key figures behind this initiative?

  • Jorge Mas: Owner and administrator of Inter Miami, emphasized the importance of education in achieving dreams.
  • David beckham: Co-owner of Inter Miami and Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF, with over two decades of commitment to supporting vulnerable children through education.
  • Kitty Van der Heijden: Deputy executive Director of UNICEF, she highlighted the importance of quality education in addressing the learning crisis.

What role does UNICEF play in global education?

UNICEF operates in over 190 countries and territories, targeting the education of disadvantaged children through equitable access to quality learning opportunities. By partnering with organizations like Inter Miami CF, UNICEF furthers its mission of ensuring that every child has the chance to thrive.

For more information on UNICEF and their efforts, visit UNICEF’s website and follow them on social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

Additional Resources

  • Watch the Launch: View the video of the alliance’s launch between the Inter Miami CF Foundation and UNICEF by visiting Instagram.

This partnership signifies a powerful thrust towards making education accessible to children in some of the most challenging environments, establishing a model that can inspire similar initiatives globally.